Kazakhstan’s decision represents a blow to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.

Russian agriculture safety watchdog this week temporarily banned imports of tomatoes, peppers, fresh melons, wheat, flax seeds and lentils from Kazakhstan.

“The decision was made due to the failure of competent authorities in Kazakhstan to take action and in order to ensure the phytosanitary safety of the territory of Russia,” the Rosselkhoznadzor authority said on its website.

The restrictive measure comes shortly after Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, refused to join BRICS, the bloc of emerging economies of which Russia currently holds the presidency.

  • @[email protected]
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    231 month ago

    That headline had me confused a bit before I realised it’s about stuff originating from Kazakhstan

  • @PugJesus
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    171 month ago

    Time to buy Kazakh produce

  • Diplomjodler
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    151 month ago

    And can Russia produce all that stuff by itself? I doubt it.

    • @[email protected]
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      1 month ago

      They can probably find substitutes further away. It all has a cost though, and shows up as further inflationary pressure. Their interest rate is 19% and counting.

      • @Mistic
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        1 month ago

        Minor correction: key rate is 19%, interest rates are higher than that as a result.

        • @[email protected]
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          30 days ago

          More of a detail than a correction. That’s usually what people mean when they say the interest rate, but yeah, what you actually get on your mortgage will be different.

          Actually, the rate you end up paying is lower in a lot of cases in Russia right now, because there’s lots of subsidised programs in place to keep the plebes happy. Which, of course, they’re paying for with more inflationary pressure…

          It’s businesses, elites and the really poor who don’t participate in organised finance that get left holding the bag right now.

    • andrew_bidlaw
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      61 month ago

      Theoretically yes, but these were previously imported for reasons and if pre-war Russia didn’t cover that, I guess the modern one wouldn’t too.

      • @InverseParallax
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        130 days ago

        Oh, they’re helping with agriculture, they’re responsible for a bumper sunflower yield this year.

  • @[email protected]
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    111 month ago

    I don’t see how this is anything but shooting themselves in the foot in the long run. Hell, the near-term grocery supply chain will feel the effects.

    • @Duamerthrax
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      530 days ago

      I don’t see how this is anything but shooting themselves in the foot in the long run.

      I mean, that’s been Russia’s MO for the past three years.

  • @x00z
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    329 days ago

    LOL.

    I hope other countries - especially those in BRICS - realize that they are hostages under BRICS.

    • @wildcardology
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      31 month ago

      China is a founding member of BRICS. I doubt they’ll take it.

      • @[email protected]
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        30 days ago

        There’s zero chance they’d care enough about this to refuse trade goods. Russia is trying to rebuild a dead empire, so they’re apparently so inclined, but China only cares about China and that’s not their problem.

      • @InverseParallax
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        330 days ago

        Hahaha, they’ll take it, and smile.

        It’s important to understand that Russia’s relationship with China is exclusive and committed, china’s relationship with Russia is ‘it’s complicated’.

  • @[email protected]
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    -321 month ago

    Wait til they see what happens (terrorism) to countries that refuse to “join” israel.

      • @Shardikprime
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        129 days ago

        Jack shit is how. Some people are just too mentally burned